Bayonets have been used for many years and typically comprise a removable blade or spike attached to the muzzle of a gun barrel. Many bayonets have a handle and are attached to the muzzle by the handle. When removed, the bayonet can then be used as a hand weapon.
The handle of some bayonets fixes to the side of the muzzle and the handle of some bayonets is hollow and fixes over the end of the muzzle so that a bullet fired from the gun passes through the centre of the handle, in these designs the blade or spike is offset from the centreline of the handle.
As well as being used as a close range weapon bayonets are also used as a general tool, for example they are used for digging to identify devices, for example improvised explosive devices (IED's) hidden below the ground surface.
Existing bayonets are generally substantially made of a steel and as such, not only are they quite heavy, which with the increasing amount of equipment soldiers are required to carry in theatre is in itself problematic, but also, being ferrous, they may trigger IED's that have magnetic arming/firing switches.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an improved bayonet that meets the demands of modern combat.